Vehicle



July 30, 1935. J PURVES I 2,009,904

VEHICLE Filed Sept. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 30, 1935. J. A. PURVES' 2,009,90

VEHICLE Filed Sept. 16, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 57. H rm! ay M9 542,

J. A. PURVES July 30, 1935.

VEHICLE Filed Sept. 16, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 30, 1935 Application September 16, 1931, Serial No. 563,179 I In Great Britain September 26, 1930 7 Claims. (o 1s0 21) This invention relates to vehicles which are propelled either by mechanical, electrical or hydraulic means, by human agency or by animal traction and aims at the provision of a vehicle of increased efficiency, capable especially of movement over very rough and uneven ground and of guarding Q tacting surface (between the vehicle and the ground) preferably of small area so that single point contact is approached. Hitherto various suggestions have been made for providing a vehicle consisting in a single wheel or cylinder within which run other wheels or a trolley or like device; Such vehicles, which have been known as mono-cycles or mono-cars, achieved some publicity in the early days of mechanical road transport'andindicate slight appreciation of theunderlying physical principles set forth above, but were found unsatisfactory in practice owing to various unsolved difficulties which were met, more espe cially in relation-to stability and steering.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these difficulties and to provide a practicable and improved form of vehicle based upon the above principles. 7 g e With this object in view the invention consists in a vehicle comprising an outer casing of spherical form, a track movably mounted'in and borne by said'casing, and a carrier mounted to run upon said track. Movement of the carrier upon said track causes rolling 'movement of the whole vehicle in-the direction of 'movement of the carrier, while movement of the track relatively to the outer casing alters the line or direction of movement of the carrier relatively to the outer casing andthus causes lateral inclination of the outer casing whereby steering can be effected.

.T .Further features'of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a few embodiments thereof which are given by way of example. These will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,

Figures land 2 represent respectively a side view and anend sectional view of one form of the invention in somewhat diagrammatic representation;

Figure 3'represents a form of lattice work which the spherical casing may assume;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 represent, in section, respectively a side view, end view and plan of another modification of a vehicle according to theinvention in which the track inside the casing is mov able relatively thereto, and 1 Figure 7 represents a View. similar to Figure 5 when the track has been displaced to effect a turn of the'vehicle. I

Figure 8 represents in perspective a portion of a movable track provided with antislip means;

Figure 9 shows diagrammatically an alternative arrangement for moving the track employing a crossed flexible cable attached to thetrack and operating over pulleys, and

Figures 10, '11 and 12 represent in section respectively a side view, plan and end view of a further modification of a vehicle according to the invention. we

An elementary form of the invention is shown diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings- I r a In these figures i represents the outer casing of the vehicle in the form of an annulus of a sphere orspheroid. It must be understood that wherever throughout the description and claims of this specification the words spherefor spherical are'used they cover alsothe term spheroid or spheroidal, unless the context otherwise requires. For the sake of clarity the former terms only will in general be used, but the broader meaning indicated above should be borne in mind for a clear understanding of the invention. A double rail track 2 is provided within the casing i and bears a trolley or carrier 3 having mounted thereon a driving motor 4 connected to the wheels 5, which run on the track 2, by means of chains 6 or like gearing. The wheels 5 may be roll forward, giving continuous forward motion totheveh icle; While any lateral displacement of the centre of gravity of the trolley 3 and/or its borne load will cause lateral tilting of the outer casing l which, when accompanying a forward movement, causes a turning of the vehicle. Such an effect may be employed to allow the vehicle to be steered by passengers on the trolley 3 and means for doing so will be described more fully below. It will be observed that the centre of gravity of the vehicle is always below the centre of the sphere and the vehicle is therefore stable, the casing always tending to maintain an equilibrium position and prevent overbalance on account of its spherical shape.

In order that the occupants of. the vehicle may be able to see in the direction of travel the outer sphericalcasing I may be formed as an'open lattice or network, formed, for example, by a number of laths secured to a framework of;

keels and cross-ribs. These members may be ofwood, metal or any other suitable material;

Such a casing is shown in part in Figure 3 where there are shown a number of circular keelsll held parallel to one another and at fixed dismembers or ribs holding; the keels together, Jorthe cross-members may be replaced by such an internal'arrangement of laths, which will preferably encircle thesphere in a"directionrperpendicular or at an inclination to the outer laths. Any or allof the various members (especially the keels) may be, and preferably are, of I or T section for increased. strength as shown at In. Cross battens l I may be provided within the casingto receive the track 2, j a v In order to. allow the vehicle to besteered as stated above, means are provided toefiect lateral displacement of the whole or major portion .of the borne load, and according to the invention this is effected by theprovision of atrack which is movable within the outer spherical casing, thus allowing the trolley 3- and the load which it' bearsto move to one side or other of the central verticalplane of the outer spherical casing in its normal direction of motion. One form of theinvention is shown in Figures fl, Sand 6 wherein similar references indicate parts corresponding to those of Figures 1,2 and 3. The inner'battens I I, or theribs of the outer spherical casing, have their inner faces shapedas portions of a sphere,

and may be smoothed :or polishe'd, or lubricated (e. g. by carbon) to allow easy. lateral movement" of the track thereon. The track is in the'form of two spacedrail members 22 and is of slightly smallerdiameterthan the outer spherical casing. A trolley 24, is adapted to rideion this track22 and it is found that the weight of the trolley and'loadit carries is-sufiicient to cause the free track member 22, on account of its slightly smaller diameter; to belodged firmly relative to the lowermost cross-members or ribs 1 I' of the outer spherical casing thus preventing it from slipping longitudinally, as soon as the trolley is propelled, and acting as a roller between trolley and sphere. This lodging is found to be suilicient'to allow the trolley" quite satisfactorily to mount the track 7 and cause'the whole vehicle to roll in a manner identicalv with that described above in connection'with'Figures 1 and 2. In order that lateral movement of the track may be effected a rack 7 28 may extend across theinterior of thevehicle between roller rings 25 which run against flanges on the sides of the outer spherical casing. as shownf 'A rod 36having a pinion at each end is rotated by the steering wheel. the pinion at to rotateithe. latter. A pinion'29 onthe other end of rod 35 gears with the rack 28. As rods 35 and .38 are fixed with respect to the trolley the latter must, upon rotation of the pinion 29, '7

move sideways carrying 'with it the movable the otherend gears with a'pinion on the rod 35 2 track 22, which slides laterallyover the battens I Steadying arms 21 may be-provided secured.

pose lateral oscillations or play of the track" but are of telescopic form to allow lateral displacement of the track for steering purposes as I describedabove." A- typical relative position of the track and casing and a typical inclination If itis found that the track 22 does not become lodged ai st the battens l I m; therefore has a longitudinal slipping under the driving action of the trolley means, such as friction surfaces or ribs II while allowing free transverse" movement,

whenlthevehicl e is being turned to the right, are shown in Figure 7; tances apart by a plurality of cross-membersor' ribs 8, a plurality of narrow laths 9 being spread i. e. along the battens. In'oneconvenient i'orm 7.

shown in Figure}such antislip means may 'comprise a series of ballbearingsilfl threaded upona wire '3 I which is ,tension'ed roundthe' v outer sur face of -theftrack 22 These balls willfthus ride on the battens or'icrossemembers I land it will .befclear that since'they -are threaded upon the wire the'iballs cannotrotate about'an axis parallel to the battens and will therefore oppose lengitudinal Qrotational niovementj of the. track within the spherelwhile they can turn about the wire and will therefore offerbut little resistance. to any transverse moy ement of thetrach j A In another arrangement shown diagrammati-L cally in Figure 9 thei'track l 22 may be displaced by.

wire cables 32 extending from its sides overpul leys 33l0n the'roller rings 25 on the flanges of the outer casing, ias' showni. These; cables maybe wound-upon control member so that by winding: or unwizi ding 4 them the track mayfbe .displacedfand it' willjbe clear that, slnceitjs placediatthe centre ofthe sphere,-.the member 34 is always easily: accessible from the trolley running inthetra'clr 22. t,

A modifiedconstruction of the invention is illustrated i'n'FiguresIO, 11 an '12. "-In this' form a franie .forined of interconnected: cross-bars or arms' so terminating 'inrolleifs' 5| whlch bear against" the. flanges-Tor fthe "outer: casin'gfis connected to and moves with the trolley 24. Asteering column 52 on the carrier trolley is connected to this frame by gearing or the like 53anditwil1 be clear 'thatturnin'g of 'thesteeringcolumn effects relative movement between thetroIIeyand the arms 50, and the trolleytransmits the diaplacing force to the track '22 which is thusshifted laterally. The arms are preferabljnas shown; arcs .of circles concentric with-the spherical outer casing. V V It will bev seen.;that from the examplesgiven above the ,vehicle cannot tip over or capsize spherical ,orspheroidal surface. The centre of gravity in practicexcan be very low-by having the machinery or the like mounted as low. down upon the carriage as possible and the'passengers furunless the centre of :gravity fallsfloutside' the between the trolley and the track; lamps to warn pedestrians and other traffic and to illuminate the road; a number plate and other items legally necessary, e. g. a warning horn or the like; and provisions for the comfort of passengers such as screens etc.

In practice I have found that a vehicle made in accordance with the description hereinbefore given travels along very easily and negotiates unevenness in the ground or road with surprising ease. Further, shocks due to unevenness appear to be reduced to a great extent by the spherical area being of fairly large dimensions and therefore not entering into small holes or unevenness on the ground.

Any of the forms of the invention described above may be made in miniature, of small dimensions, and employed or vended as toys or for other amusement purposes. In such forms which are not primarily intended to carry passengers, many of the refinements, e. g. latticed structure etc.,

. which give added comfort internally of the vehicle need not be incorporated.

It is to be understood that the vehicle may be made of any size and that the details of construction and arrangement of parts have been solely given by Way of example and are not to be taken in any way as limiting the scope of my invention, since various modifications (such as the use of an electric or other form of motor in place of an internal combustion engine, or the introduction or" other means for moving the track and thereby steering the vehicle), may be incorporated as they become necessary or desirable in order to carry the invention into effect under diiferent conditions and requirements which have to be fulfilled and these modifications must be understood as included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle comprising an outer casing of sphericalform, a track movably mounted in, and

borne by, said casing, a carrier mounted to run upon said track and means for effecting movement of said track within said casing during travel of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle comprising an outer casing of spherical form, a track movably mounted in and borne by said casing, a carrier mounted to run upon said track, and means for effecting pivotal I .movement of said track Within said casing. pneumatic or sprung upholstery, heating devices,

3. A vehicle comprising an outer casing of spherical form, a track movably mounted in and borne by said casing, a carrier mounted to run upon said track, and means operable from said carrier for efiecting pivotal movement of said track within said casing.

4. A vehicle comprising an outer casing of spherical form, a track movably mounted in and borne by said casing, a carrier mounted to run upon said track, and means extending between said carrier and said casing for adjusting the pos'ition of said track within said casing.

,5. A vehicle comprising an outer casing of spherical form, a track movably mounted therein, a carrier mounted to run on said track, frames running and on the outer flanges of said spherical outer casing, flexibl cables passing over pulleys on said frames and round a shaft which is mounted on and can be turned from said carrier whereby said carrier and track may be moved about within said casing.

6. A v hicle comprising an outer casing of spherical form, a track movably mounted within said casing, a carrier mounted to run upon said track, and means adapted to oppose movement of said track relative to said casing in the direction in which said carrier runs on said track while allowing comparatively unopposed relative movement perpendicularly to said direction.

'7. A vehicle according to claim 6 wherein said J OHN ARCHIBALD PURVES. 

